Homecoming
by M'Lady K
Summary: She stepped out of the train looking on a place she had left long ago, but the memory of that day was as clear as it was then. She had been gone too long and it was finally time to come home.
1. El Pano Station

Homecoming

She stepped out of the train looking on a place she had left long ago, but the memory of that day was as clear as it was then. She had been gone too long and it was finally time to come home. Life in the city was just not for her, her heart belonged to these mountains; they called to her. As she walked towards the station she noticed that many people were staring at her. They hadn't seen a young city girl come off the train since Christy Huddleston came to teach at the mission school in Cutter Gap. She was met with the same looks inside the station as she approached the clerk's desk. She rang the bell and the clerk turned to her.

"Afternoon, ma'am. Are you lookin' for the boarding house?"

"No, sir. I was wandering if I could have someone take me to Cutter Gap this afternoon."

"Cutter Gap! What you goin' there for? A fine lady like yourself has no business in Cutter Gap that's for sure. Are you another teacher?"

"No I am not a teacher. I was born in Cutter Gap." She said with a warm smile.

The man behind the desk was astonished. No child from Cutter Gap went away to the city. "Could you tell me if Neil MacNeil or Alice Henderson still live there?"

"They both do. Doc MacNeil lives up past the Allen place on the Big Spoon creek. And Ms. Henderson, well she lives at the mission with the preacher and that new teacher from over Asheville way."

"Thank you sir, now about traveling arrangements."

He led her outside the station and pointed to the blacksmith's shop. She thanked him and walked toward the shop.

"Excuse me, could one of you gentlemen tell me where Mr. Pentland is?

The rugged men look up at the young woman who was clearly out of place. They gave her a good look over and continued with their business.

"I be Ben Pentland. Can I help you miss?"

"Well, I certainly hope so Mr. Pentland. My name is Kathryn MacNeil and I was wondering if you would you take me to Cutter Gap this afternoon? "

Suddenly all in the blacksmith shop stopped what they were doing and looked up at her again. Kathryn was puzzled her bright smile disappeared and her brow furrowed. Had she done something wrong? She began to feel very uncomfortable as she looked around the room at men who looked as if they had seen a ghost.

"Uh, Miss, did you say that you were a MacNeil?"

"Why yes, Mr. Pentland. My father is Neil MacNeil."

"You're Doc MacNeil's daughter?" Mr. Pentland's face went white as he stared at her.

"Yes Mr. Pentland I am." She didn't know what to do.

"Beggin' your pardon miss, but we all thought you was dead."

"Dead? Why how ridiculous Mr. Pentland I'm not dead. Where on earth did you get an idea like that?" she laughed at the thought.

"Well the Doc said that you and your mother had drowned in the river. There was a service for the two of ya and everything. The whole cove knows about it."

Kathryn's heart sank. Her father didn't even know that she was alive. It had been another one of her mother's horrible lies.

"Mr. Pentland I think I need to go to Cutter Gap immediately."

"Yes ma'am I believe you do. This will shorely be exciting news in the cove."

Kathryn and Mr. Pentland left for Cutter Gap. What was she going to say to her father and grandmother now that they have believed she was dead for these past eight years? They walked the seven miles to Cutter Gap. Each step brought back memories of the cove. As they walked Mr. Pentland updated her on the families of the cove and the new additions to the mission. They finally arrived at the mission as the sun was beginning to set.

"Well, miss. This be the mission house. Reverend Grantland, Miss Huddleston, and Ms. Henderson should all be inside. I'm afraid I need to get goin before it gets any darker. Good luck to ya miss."

"Thank you Mr. Pentland. You have been very helpful." she smiled nervously.


	2. The Mission House

As she stood there looking at the mission a knot formed in her stomach. She was finally coming home to Cutter Gap but she was so afraid of what was about to happen. As she was gathering the courage to go to the door, a friendly face opened the door of a bunkhouse near the barn. He was a tall attractive young man who hastily made his way to her.

"Hello, my name is David Grantland. I'm the minister in Cutter Gap. Can I help you?" he said with a smile, but puzzled look on his face.

"Yes, My name is Kathryn MacNeil. I was looking for Ms. Alice Henderson."

"She's right inside. I'll take you to her." David said with amazement. _Had she said MacNeil? _He was quite intrigued by this and was eager to find out more.

"Thank you Rev. Grantland."

He took her inside and led her into the parlor and quickly left to get Ms. Alice. She could hear voices coming from the other room and then suddenly heard a crash. It sounded as if someone had dropped a dish. Then suddenly Alice burst into the room with tears in her eyes and a look of disbelief both hands covering her mouth. Her face was as white as a sheet. Christy followed in curiosity. Kathryn turned around and saw the loving face of her grandmother that she had longed to see.

"Katie is it really thee?"

Kathryn smiled to hear her nickname again and with tears in her eyes she walked over and gave her Alice a hug as she said, "Yes, grandmother. It's me. I've come home."

"Thank thee Lord. Oh Katie, when we couldn't find thee or thy mother we thought thee both were dead. It was I who told thy father to stop searching. I lost faith. I'm so sorry. Can thee ever forgive me?"

"Oh grandmother. I should be asking for forgiveness. I had no idea that you and father thought we were dead. Mother just said that we had to leave, that you and father didn't want us here anymore. I knew that there had to be something wrong, that you and father would never say that. We left early that morning for El Pano and then took the train to Atlanta. Mother then took me to the orphanage and said that I had to be a good girl and that she had to go away for a while but that she would come back for me soon. I always thought she would she never came back and a man named Doctor Porter and his wife adopted me. They were so kind to me and I was able to attend a fine school. I helped him at his office in the afternoons and summer; he even trained me to be a nurse. They were wonderful people but I couldn't help but think about you and father. I knew I had to come back to you. I wanted to come back home, but I had to find mother first."

"Did thee find her, Katie?" Alice asked through teary eyes.

" Strangely enough, mother came to Dr. Porter's office one day; she didn't even recognize me at first. I asked her why she didn't come back for me like she promised but she never answered. I asked many questions about home and you and father but she never wanted to talk about it. I had to come back and see if it was true. Oh grandmother she's not the same person at all."

As Alice listened to what Kathryn was saying she couldn't believe that Margaret could do such a thing to her own child. When she finished tears were flowing in both their eyes.

"Oh Katie thee does not have to ask for forgiveness. Yes, thy mother turned into a very deceitful woman. I'm so sorry that thee had to go through all of this, but thee is now with us and I am so thankful to have thee back in my life."

"I'm so glad to be back grandmother, it has been far too long."

Alice turned around and took Kathryn by the hand and led her over to Christy and David.

"Miss. Huddleston, David, I would like to introduce thee to my granddaughter. Kathryn Elizabeth MacNeil."

"I'm so pleased to meet you both. Mr. Pentland has told me a lot about you." She shook hands with them.

Alice took on a serious tone and asked, "Katie, where is thy mother now."

Kathryn looked down at the not sure what to say as tears formed in her eyes. "When mother came to see Dr. Porter, she was very ill."

"Yes she came here one time and told me of the tuberculosis. I begged her to let me come with her, to help her get treatment, but she refused. She told me you had died in that storm and that she couldn't stay in Cutter Gap after that. She told me she felt responsible and couldn't face us."

"She came here?" her heart sunk. Her mother had come back and never told them that she was really alive. "Well then you know how bad her condition was. There was little that could be done." she paused a moment unsure of what to say. "Mother died shortly before I came."

Alice grew pale and began to cry, she was so hurt when Margaret left and now her only child was gone forever.

"I'm so sorry grandmother, I tried so hard to help her."

"I'm sure thee did all thee could. We all tried to help her, but she never wanted our help. Please stay the night here at the mission. I'm so happy that thee are here." Alice smiled as she dried her tears, stood up and led Kathryn to the dining room.

While at dinner they talked, as Kathryn was full of questions about the cove and her childhood friends. She learned of Christy's work with the school and the children. Kathryn was so happy for the children that they had such a kind and caring teacher as Christy. As Kathryn talked Alice seemed to notice two rings on Kathryn's hands. On the right she wore a silver ring, a woven band of Celtic knot work. Alice had seen this ring before, it was one that Neil had given her when she was younger just before she and Margaret had left. It had belonged to his mother and he had passed it on to Kathryn. On her left hand she wore a diamond ring, a gold band with the stone set in silver. It was a small ring but fit her delicate hands just right. It seemed to be an engagement ring. Alice was intrigued and bit concerned by the thought that her seventeen-year-old granddaughter could be engaged.

"Katie, I see thee still have the ring thy father gave thee."

"Yes, I've never taken it off. I wore it to remind me of him. He had said that the knot work on the band was connected, it had no ending; like his love for me. I guess that's why I couldn't ever believe that father had stopped loving me."

Christy smiled. She could tell that Neil had loved her very much. Even though he was a rough man, she knew that he was very loving.

"And thee also has a very lovely ring on thy left hand."

Katie looked down at the ring that had held so much love. She felt a lump form in her throat as she thought of Peter.

"Yes, I had been somewhat engaged to a fine young man named Peter Johnson. He was apprenticed to Dr. Porter before he began medical school. That's how we met. He graduated at the top of his class. He was always so smart. The ring was more of a promise ring. We always said that we would get married someday, when he was out of medical school and had established his practice." She was fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

Kathryn looked down at the table in an attempt to hold back her tears until she could explain. She cleared her throat and continued.

"Peter died a month ago, but I just can't bring myself to take the ring off quite yet. I had loved him so much. We were going to open our own clinic and I was going to be his nurse. He and Dr. Porter would go on weekly visits to the orphanage to tend to the children; the same one that I was adopted from. There was an outbreak of scarlet fever. I wanted to help but they had quarantined the building and Peter refused to let me come in. He was always trying to protect me. They got through it without losing too many children but Peter came down with it the day they lifted the quarantine. Despite what Doctor Porter said I wouldn't leave his side. He seemed like he was getting better, but then he took a turn for the worse and just couldn't fight it any longer. It's the worst pain I have ever felt in my life. I feel so lost without Peter. There will never be another like him." She couldn't take it any longer. The tears were freely falling now. She quickly excused herself and left the table.

Christy and Alice both had tears in there eyes after listening to Kathryn.

"She's had such terrible things happen to her. Can't she ever find some happiness in her life." Christy said.

"I think that is why she came back home. She seems to have been happy in her life in Atlanta but she needed to come home." Alice explained.


	3. Seeing Papa

Kathryn was walking towards the stairs when she heard a horse coming toward the mission and the man riding was shouting out her grandmother's name in Scottish brogue. She looked towards the door as the man walked up the mission steps to the door. Could this be her father?

"Alice!" he shouted as he turned the knob on the door. Kathryn's heart was racing and she felt her stomach turning. "Alice I've just seen Ben Pentland. He said…" Neil turned and looked toward the stairs to see not a girl but a young woman. She was tall and slender, dressed much like Christy, with blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. Neil was speechless he just stood there staring in wonder. He glanced between Kathryn and Alice. "What the blazes is going on Alice? Who is this girl?" He didn't know what to say. Kathryn stepped away from the stairs and looked at Neil smiling nervously.

"It's me, Katie. I've come home."

Neil looked at Alice who nodded her head.

"No, Katie's dead. She drowned."

"Papa it's me, Katie. Look I still have the ring you gave to me. You have to believe me. Its really me." Katie's words became faster and louder. She was becoming frantic. She ran to him holding out her hand.

He then looked down at Kathryn's hand. To his amazement it was the ring he had given to her. Tears were starting to form in his eyes. He stepped back and dropped her hands.

"Why are you here?" he said coldly with years of hurt behind it.

"I've come home papa. I want to be with you."

"Why did you leave if you had wanted to be with me so much? You're just like her. I wasn't good enough for either of you, was I?" His voice was taking on a harsher tone now.

She looked at him in horror. Why was he saying this to her? Hadn't her mother told him about her?

"I loved you with all my heart, papa. I didn't know why we were leaving. I was so upset. Mother told me that you didn't want us anymore. She said that you didn't love us and that we had to leave. I didn't want to go I wanted to stay here with you. We went to Atlanta where she left me at an orphanage. I was all alone in a strange place far away from you, home, and grandmother. I couldn't understand why you didn't love me anymore. I kept thinking that I must have done something wrong. Mother promised to come back for me but she never did and I never knew why. A doctor and his wife adopted me. They were very kind to me and I attended a fine school. He even trained me to be a nurse so I could help out at the office. Then mother came in to see Dr. Porter. That's when I found out that it was all a lie but she wouldn't give me any answers and she would let me help her. She was so sick, but I guess you saw that when she came. I never knew she came back here she never told me that."

Neil couldn't believe what he was hearing. How could Margaret have done this to their daughter? It was enough that she had left but to take their child and then abandon her. He was so angry with her.

"Papa, I still love you very much."

Neil was speechless. He had finally moved on and seeing his daughter for the first time was such a shock. This was more than Katie could take. She was already tired from train ride and seven mile hike and was emotionally drained. She couldn't take this much longer. She had to get some fresh air. She ran passed Neil and out the door and away from the mission as quickly as she could. _This was a mistake._ It was raining but she didn't care. It didn't matter to her if she was getting wet. Her world was being crushed again. This was not the homecoming she had expected.

Inside Neil just stood there as he was before. Alice quickly walked up to him.

"Neil, you're a fool. That child has been hurt the worst out of this whole situation. Margaret lied to the both of you. She abandoned her and made her feel unwanted, but she never stopped loving you. She's not Margaret, Neil. Don't blame Katie for Margaret's mistakes."

Neil knew she was right. This was his daughter, it had been the day he had dreamed of for so long and he had ruined it. He turned and walked outside. Neil looked around outside and couldn't see Katie. He began to worry, memories of the day she left came flooding back. He looked over and couldn't find her. He mounted Charlie and rode off to find her. _I'm not letting her go this time._

She ran slipping in the mud every so often. She finally stopped and grabbed hold of a tree. She sank to the ground in sobs. _Why did I come back? He really didn't want me._

Neil rode through the forest and it wasn't long before he heard crying. He looked to see her huddled up against a tree shivering. She was completely soaked with her hair undone and astray. He quickly dismounted. He ran to her, taking his coat off on the way. He put it around her, grabbed her, and held her tight. It was long and it felt so good for her to be in his strong arms again. She had missed him so much. She threw her arms around him.

"Papa, I'm so sorry. I've missed you so much." She said through tears.

"No Katie, I'm sorry. It wasn't your fault at all. I was a fool back there. Can you ever forgive me lass?"

She loved to her him call her that once again. "Of course Papa."

"I love you so much lass."

"I love you too Papa." still holding on to her father.

"Let's get you in and warm you up."

He picked her up in his strong arms and placed her in the saddle in front. She was still shivering.


End file.
